Knife-sharpener.



No. 763,764. l PATENTED JUNE 28, 1904.

' A. W. JOHNSON.

KNIFE SHARPENER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.6, 1903.

cz Siiiiulllllllllllllllllllllll \Hll|"' I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII A 1 l 6,2/ @Y g; ci Amm/VE Patented June 28, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

ALFRED W. JOHNSON, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

KNIFE-SHARPNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 763,764, dated June 28, 1904:.`

Application filed Nvvember 6, 1903- Serial No. l 0,62. (No model.) l

T0 all whom, it may concern.-v f

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. J QHNSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, anda resident of New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Knife-Sharpener, of which the following' is afull, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a means for sharpening the knives of such kinds of machinery as are `used for cutting tobacco, paper, cabbage, hay, cornstalks, straw, and smoked or dried beef, although it will be understood that my invention may be employed for sharpen.- ing knives of any kind. The problem of keeping knives in this'class of machines in a sharpened working condition is a serious one, because on the action of the knife depends the efciency of the machine. The users ofsuch machines ofttimes do not possess .the knowledge or the skill necessary to successfully restore the cutting edge of the knife to a satisfactory working condition, and it frequently happens that the owner casts the machine understand my invention, I have shown the aside and abandons its use or is compelled to resort to considerable annoyance, delay, and expense in having the knives sharpened. vIt is my purpose tovovercome these difficulties by placing within reach of the users of machines of the kind specified an implement by which the knife can be sharpened rapidly and easily and by unskilled workmen, so as to secure a keen cutting edge. v

To the accomplishment of these ends my invention consists of a reversible grinding-tool havinga coarse abrading-face on one side and a fine iinishing-surface on theotlier side, in connection with means for presenting the respectivefaces of the tool at different angles to the edge portion of the knife or blade, whereby the coarse side of the tool is available for grinding the bevel on the knife in a rapid manner, and the ne surface of the tool is presentable to act only on the edge portion in a way to produce a keen cutting edge.

Fu-rther objectsv and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the'subjoined description, and the actual scope thereof will be defined by the annexed claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

head being shown by the drawings.

lproved sharpening-tool,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theiigures.

VFigure l is a plan view illustrating kthe method of using my improved Sharpener in connection with the knife or blade of ameatslicing machine, a part of the knife frame or Fig. 2 is an edge view of the knife frame or head and the blade, showing the sharpening-tool inv perspective. Figs` 3 and 4L are views in transverse section, illustrating the dierent positions of the reversible sharpening-tool relative to the knife and the head or frame. Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 3 and` 4, illustrating another construction of the im- Fig. 7 and 8 are similar transverse sectional views showing the different positions of another construction of the reversible sharpening-tool.

a plan view, partly brokenaway, of the tool shown by Figs. 7 and 8; and Fig. 'l0 is a cross-Section through the tool shown by Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is In order that others skilled in the art may same by the accompanying drawings as being adapted for use in connection with the reciprocating or swinging knife'of a meat-slicing machine; but I would have it distinctly understood that my invention is not restricted to use in connection with machines of this type, because the tool can be usedas a means for sharpening the knives used in .machinery for cutting any suitable materials,such as tobacco, paper., cabbage, hay, cornstalks, straw, and the like.

In the drawings a part of the knife frame or head is indicated at A, and lto this head is secured a knife or blade B. It iscustomary to make the knife in one piece of metal, the same having a beveled edge .71 on one of its faces, son as to produce the cutting edge b'. Saidscutting edge is shown by Fig. l of the drawings as being curved from end to end, and, as before. explaineddi1culty has heretofore been experienced in maintaining this f cutting edge in a keen working condition. To

overcome such objections, I provide a sharpening-tool of improved construction which is provided with two active faces of different kinds, said tool being adapted for use in con- TOO nection with thc knife head or frame in a way to present its respective active faces at different angles to the beveled and cutting portions of the knife B. In one embodiment of the invention which is disclosed by the drawings the knife head or frame isprovided with a rib, flange, or the like a, the same projecting at an angle to the plane of the frame and curved correspondingly to the cutting edge of the knife, said rib a being equidistant at all points from said cutting edge. The rib or flange may be made in one piece with the knife head or frame, or said rib may be made in a separate piece from the frame and attached thereto in any approved way so as to occupy the parallel equidistant relation to the cutting edge of said knife.

The improved grinding-tool is indicated in its entirety by the character C, said tool being provided with a coarse grinding-face C, a fine finishing-face C2, and a gage or other means for determining the angle of presentation of the respective faces to the edge portion of the blade or knife B. The tool may be provided with two separateistones, one of which may be made of rapid-cutting emery and the other of fine corundum or natural stone; but I do not desire to confine myself to any particular materials in the manufacture of the tool, nor to the employment of two different stones, because I am aware that the tool may be artificially constructed of different kinds of grinding materials, which are united in a homogeneous mass in any way known to the skilled constructor-as, for example, by molding plastic materials possessing the necessary qualities. As shown by the drawings, however, the coarse grinding member C and the fine finishing member C2 are laid one upon the other or back to back in substantially parallel relation, and these separate stones are united one to the other by means adapted to serve as a gage in determining the angle of presentation of the respective members of the tool to the cutting edge.

In Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the coupling means and gage of the improved tool are embodied in the form of a clamp D, and the respective members of the tool are so disposed as to bring their exposed faces in different planes to the parts of the coupling device and gage. The coupling device and gage is represented as a piece of sheet metal which is doubled or folded upon itself to provide arms d, which embrace the exposed faces of the respective members C C2, and these arms of the coupling or gage are provided with openings for the reception of screws e, which have threaded engagement with sleeves or posts E, the latter passing through suitable perforations in the members of the tool and also provided with threaded or tapped openings for the reception of the screws e.

The tool shown by Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive,

has the fine finishing member C2 disposed in flush relation to the exposed face of one arm d of-the coupling and gage, while the other coarse grinding member C of the tool is provided with a recess c, in which is received the other arm of the coupling and gage, whereby the Ene finishing member C2 is arranged for its exposed face to lie in a different plane with respect to the gage than the relation of the exposed face of the coarse grinding member to the other arm of the gage. The respective members of the tool are held firmly in lplace by the coupling or gage and the interposed sleeves, and the entire tool is of simple compact construction, so that it can be grasped and manipulated easily by the hand.

The improved tool is adapted for use in connection with the rib or flange a and a knifeblade in the way shown by Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The tool is first employed to grind the bevel 7) on the blade B in order to cut away the metal as quickly and easily as it is possible to do so, and to this end the tool is placed in the position shown by Fig. 4, wherein the coarse stone or member C is presented at an angle to the edge b, while one arm of the gage or coupling D rests on the edge portion rIhe tool is now oscillated and moved back and forth' along the bevel of the blade, and the metallic gage rides on the rib a, suflicient pressure being applied to make the coarse member or stone C grind away the metal of the blade so as to produce an accurate bevel b. The relation of the coarse member C to the gage and the application of the tool to the rib a and to the blade makes said member C operate to reduce the thickness of the blade and produce a bevel which is uniform throughout the length of said blade. Subsequent to the formation of the proper bevel on the blade the tool is reversed, so as to take the position shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, wherein the fine finishing member C2 is presented at a different angle to the blade B, so as to make the face of the tool operate on the extreme edge portion of the blade Without having any appreciable contact with the beveled face of said blade. When the tool is reversed, the other arm of the gage rides upon the rib fr, and the exposed face of the member or stone C2 is presented to the blade, so as to engage only with the edge portion thereof and not with the beveled face, whereby the operationof moving the tool back and forth will produce a keen cutting edge on thc blade B.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings I have shown another form of the sharpening-tool wherein the relationship of the coarse and fine members C C2 to the arms of the gage or coupling are reversed. In this form of construction the exposed face of the coarse member C is flush with the corresponding face of one arm of the gage, whereas the face of the IOO IIO

finishing member C2 lies within Ithe face of the other arm of the gage. This tool is adapted for service in connection with the rib on the cutter frame or head and with the knife B in a way to make the member CY grind the bevel on the blade at an angle uniformly throughout the length of said blade, as in Fig. 6; but by reversing the tool to the position of Fig. 5 the gage is adapted toride on the rib and the active face of the finishing member C2 operates on the extreme edge portion of said blade, so as to produce a keen cutting edge thereon. The tool shown by Figs. 5 and 6 has its several parts held firmly together by the sleeves, the screws, and the arms of the gage, so that this tool is identically the same in its construction as the implement shown by Figs. l to 4, inclusive, the only variation being the relationship of the active faces of the members C C2 to the arms of the gage.

In Figs. 7 to l0, inclusive, of the drawings I have shown another form of construction, wherein the coarse and fine stones or members C C2 are adapted to be made in one piece by subjecting materials of different ineness to pressure within a mold, and the form of the gage is changed, although said gage is adapted for use in connection with the rib on the cutter head or frame in a way to present the respective abrading members of the tool at different angles to the cutter-blade, One of the members-as, for example, the member Cfis provided with sockets f, and the gage D' is shown in the form of a doubled or looped rod, wire, or its equivalent, the prongs of which are fitted in said sockets and are cemented or otherwise fastened therein, so as to unite the gage in a substantial way to the abrading members of the tool. In this form of construction the gage D is disposed at one side of the longitudinal axis of the tool, and said gage presents a metallic surface adapted to ride upon the edge of the rib a and the cutter head or frame.

In the first operation of the tool the coarse member C rides on the bevel portion of the blade, while the gage D rests on the rib a, and by manipulating the tool the member C thereof` operates to rapidly cut away the metal in a way to produce the bevel on the knife, as represented by Fig. 8. The tool should now be reversed for the gage to ride on the rib, as shown in Fig. 7, and this changes the angle of thetool in a way to bring the finishing member C2 into engagement with the edge portion only of the blade, thus making provision for the production of a keen edge on said blade. The gage shown in connection with the coarse and fine members of the abrading-tool presents a metallic surface adapted to ride on the rib of the cutter-head, and thus minimizes the friction and wear on said rib, because the metal-lic gage will easily glide over the metallic rib without appreciable wear thereon. The gage of the tool also serves as a convenient handle ingrasping and manipulating the tool.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a tool having abradingsurfaccs of different kinds and a means by which the respective surfaces may be presented at diferentf'angles to the edge portion of a knife or blade. The devices herein shown and described produce a simple tool which is easy and efficient in operation; but I do not desire to confine myself to any particular materials nor to any specific construction of gage, because the invention resides, broadly, in a tool i having active surfaces of different kinds and a means of any character for presenting the respective faces of the tool at different angles to the cutting edge.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A sharpening-tool having a plurality of working faces of different kinds, and means for presenting the respective faces at different angles to a knife or blade.

2. A sharpening-tool having fine and coarse members presenting abrading-surfaces of different kinds, and means connected with said members for determining the angle of presentation of the respective working faces to the cutting edge of a blade or knife.

3. A reversible sharpening-tool having fine and coarse members on the respective sides thereof, and a gage for presenting the respective faces at different angles to a knife or blade, the members having their working surfaces disposed in different relations to the gage.

4c. A reversible sharpening-tool having'iine and coarse members presenting working surfaces of dierent kinds, and a gage united to said members, the faces of the different members lying' in different planes with respect to the gage.

5. A reversible sharpening-tool of the class described, having fine and coarse members presenting working surfaces of different kinds on the respective sides of said tool, and a gage, the exposed face of one member being in a different plane with respect to the gage than the corresponding face of the other member to another part of the gage.

6. A reversible sharpening-tool comprising a gage, and members having their exposed working surfaces disposed in different relation to the gage.

7 A reversible sharpening-tool having a gage, abrading members disposed for their exposed surfaces to occupy a different relation to the gage, and means for. clamping the gage and the members solidly together.

y 8. A reversible sharpening tool having coarse and fine members, one of said members having an offset face, a gage fitted to said members for the arms thereof to occupy a dif- TOO IIO

ferent relation to the faces of said members, and means for clamping the parts solidly togetlier.

9. A reversible sharpening' tool having coarse and line members, a bowed gage overlapping said members, sleeves or posts between the arms of the gage, and means for :Lttaeliing the gage to the posts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- IO seribing' witnesses.

ALFRED W. JOHNSON.

Titnessesz UHARLE WV. LARAsoN, ILLIAM H. BENNETT. 

